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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29357598">Go back home, Kakashi</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thetalkingcherry/pseuds/Thetalkingcherry'>Thetalkingcherry</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Temporary Character Death, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 03:55:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,221</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29357598</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thetalkingcherry/pseuds/Thetalkingcherry</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Kakashi meets with his father in the afterlife. </p><p>“So Gai” Sakumo broke the silence after a while. It was not a judgmental statement, it felt more like a knowing one, like a confirmation.</p><p>It was Kakashi’s turn to smile. “Gai” He nodded.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hatake Kakashi &amp; Hatake Sakumo, Hatake Kakashi/Maito Gai | Might Guy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>104</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Go back home, Kakashi</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/MegaWallflower/gifts">MegaWallflower</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is a gift for the wonderful godtierwallflower on Tumblr. Check out their fics and stories on AO3! They are amazing!!!</p><p> </p><p>(BTW! Feel free to message me on Tumblr, you can find me like justanotherdayontheenterprise and we can scream about Kakagai together lmao)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kakashi had spent most of his life talking to ghosts, yet he had stopped believing they would reply a long time ago. Now that one was in front of him, it felt as real as he once did all those years ago, looking at Kakashi with those tired but kind eyes, wearing the uniform he would always wear whenever he was outside their home, the reds and oranges of the flames that came from the bonfire that burned in front of them, painting his silver almost white hair which fell down in a ponytail all the way to his lower back.</p><p>Kakashi took a deep shaky breath, he had never told anyone his story, hell, he didn’t consider himself relevant enough to even think to be asked that question. All the other shinobi needed to know was written in the Bingo Book and everything his superiors ever needed was his ninja registry, stating his skills and physical capabilities, nothing else. But right then, sitting by the fire with his father next to him, he didn’t feel vain for being asked, not at all. He didn’t feel shame or even regret when telling Sakumo of everything he had missed about his son's life. After all, Kakashi was as good as dead now and maybe the dead could judge, but his father never did.</p><p>Sakumo had listened intently, nodding and humming and sometimes he had asked questions to clarify something Kakashi had said and when the younger Hatake was done he smiled while looking at the flames dance in front of them.</p><p>“So Gai, uh?” Sakumo broke the silence after a while. It was not a judgmental statement, it felt more like a <em>knowing</em> one, like a confirmation.</p><p>It was Kakashi’s turn to smile. “Gai” He nodded.</p><p>“He was not at the village when we were attacked. I am grateful for that” Sakumo hummed in understanding before asking, “Because he was not hurt or because he was not there to see you die?” Kakashi thought about it for a moment. The weight of not being able to say goodbye heavy in his stomach, and yet he though back to the countless times he had been there when a teammate had exhaled their last breath…about failing Gai again and dying after promising he would always come back home. Of course, even Gai had to understand that it would have not been possible, that at some point it would happen. Shinobi do not have that privilege after all, right?</p><p>“Both”</p><p>Sakumo nodded.</p><p>“He never stopped looking after you, did he?” Once again, his father’s question sounded more like a statement.</p><p>Kakashi shook his head, a bitter laugh scaping his lips. “Never. He was always so stubborn, even when I pushed him away” And he <em>had</em> pushed him away, hadn’t he? And yet, Gai was always a constant (well, had been a constant) in Kakashi’s life, to the point where his feet would automatically take Kakashi to him. “I would ignore him, belittle him, insult him, but he always came back”</p><p>More than once did Gai had to take care of a stubborn Kakashi, that would leave the glass of his window stained with blood because he refused to knock on the door like a normal person, as much as he refused to subject himself to be bound to a hospital bed where he would be attacked by memories and ghosts as soon as his head hit the pillow.</p><p>“I never understood why, what he could possibly see in a lost cause like me, a lost and broken man who did not even wanted his help”</p><p>Sakumo shrugged, “I think you know the answer to that question, son”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Keep an eye on that boy Kakashi, remember his name…He might become a good rival for you” Sakumo had told him that day when they bumped into Dai and Gai outside the academy. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kakashi had scoffed as he saw both figures walk away and had rolled his eyes at his father. “In what world?! Does the Maito family even have anything special?” He had mocked. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Sakumo had only nodded, his face serious. “Indeed, something even stronger than our white chakra” He explained matter-of-factly. “Something all shinobi should have or develop but not all do” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kakashi had looked up at him confused, something even more powerful than his father? </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Endurance” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kakashi rose an eyebrow but before he could speak, Sakumo continued. “Because shinobi should, above all, endure” </em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>But it had not been just endurance, it had been Gai’s love for Kakashi, that pure raw love mixed with Gai’s incapability to give up on him.</p><p>“Guess you were right all this time, weren’t you? He did become a good rival for me”</p><p>Sakumo glanced at the fire again, his hands moving to his knees.“Even when I did it…” he stopped there, his eyes meeting Kakashi’s once more. “Leaving you alone, was my only fear. I’m glad he never left you”</p><p>Kakashi sighted. “Guess I was lucky he decided to love me just in time” </p><p>His father laughed, it sounded merry, and Kakashi felt warm inside. All this time, he had forgotten about that laughter.</p><p>“I think he started loving you from the moment he challenged you the first time. Well, at least to me and Dai it was that obvious. He did, after all, jump from our roof and proclaimed you were his man of destiny as well as his Eternal Rival”</p><p>Kakashi cringed fondly at the memory, laughing too. “Well, he was not wrong”</p><p>Still, eternity had come too fast. Way too fast for Kakashi.</p><p> </p><p>The fire seemed to go on forever, Kakashi looked at the nothing stretching as far as he could see around them.</p><p>“I understand now, why you did it.” Sakumo needed to know, because Kakashi did not want to leave things midway, not anymore. “Why you decided to save your comrades instead of finishing the mission. I understand now”</p><p>Sakumo looked at him with wide eyes, and Kakashi continued, because he had also come to understand pain, loneliness, helplessness…and hope. “And I understand you had reasons, when you decided to die. You did what you thought was right in that moment, what would be better for me. I don’t blame you anymore, dad. I forgive you”</p><p>All that time, all that pain, all the blame and regret, all those tears…Sakumo had cried enough, so had Kakashi. It was time to let go.</p><p>“I have waited so long to hear that”</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi closed his eyes momentarily. <em>Gai...I’m sorry, Gai.</em> Pain tore through him. He was happy to see his father, he felt at peace having finally said those words out loud, but there was regret still. He felt regret for only leaving a cold corpse for Gai to find, he felt angry at himself for leaving him alone. After everything they had gone through, after every <em>damn</em> time Gai had picked him up. Eternity had come too soon.</p><p>Suddenly he felt a pull, and he was being taken away, his father was smiling, that true smile that Kakashi had not seen since he was five.</p><p>“Guess you still have things to do” He said and as he got up from the fireplace, slowly disappearing, getting further away from Kakashi. Finally, he heard his father’s relieved words:</p><p>
  <em>“Go back home, Kakashi”</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Characters belong to Kishimoto. This story was NOT written for profit, only entertainment.</p><p>Note: (That conversation between Kakashi and Sakumo about Gai's endurance is based on ahKahaii's "FIVE comic")</p></blockquote></div></div>
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